6/15/11

Deconstructing SCHOOL CHILDREN: Part 4


Though I do not have any definitive information about this school photo I do think they went to a school in San Jose, California. Judging by their age, it's quite possible some of the boys served in the Korean War, often called America's forgotten war. The war that to this day sees troops stationed along the DMZ.

Now after hearing the report of how woefully ignorant high school seniors are in American history I don't expect very many to have the slightest idea about what these young boys faced. With only 12% of seniors having an understanding of their own country I imagine most will believe DMZ is simply a typo and I meant to type in TMZ. If ignorance is bliss, there have to be a lot of blissful teenagers.

These boys, from Pala class of 1942, understood their country was at war. War was not something far removed from their lives. It wasn't a hidden class of people fighting the war. It touched all lives. Not so today. Again, ignorance is apparently bliss.

These are the forgotten children of this country who fought the wars, built the highways, constructed the homes, invented technology to take us into space, worked in factories building products to be exported around the world, etc. What will the future bring for the kids in school today who aren't even being asked to learn cursive handwriting? Where will their creativity come from if machines constantly guide their every thought? I'd like to say I'm hopeful, but I'm starting to believe maybe it is easier to be ignorant.










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